Wintering Freshly Collected Aspen

[Neopan]

Hello Everyone!

I am new to the forums and site so I suppose I should introduce myself; I live in Toronto and like most my access point to bonsai many years ago was small Chinatown Juniper which I promptly killed by trying to keep it as a houseplant. Much time has passed and with much reading, research and experimentation.... I am a slightly more knowledgeable amateur I have a collected honeysuckle I have been training for around 6-7 years, am growing some Trident maple (I believe at least) from seed to start as a Kabudachi style clump (thank you Eisei-en) and a nursery find Blue Atlas Cedar with some good bones.

I am looking for some advice on an Aspen I had collected about a month and a half ago. This was the wrong time of year to collect and I feel quite badly about it, I won't be making the same mistake again. The tree experienced shock, and dropped most of its leaves; there was some dieback. That being said I think the worst is over, and there are still many live shoots/branches.

The question is Wintering; My other Deciduous drops its leaves and happily lives in the garage over winter, and wakes up fine every spring. This Aspen being collected too late in the year hasn't had time to fully recover, and grow new roots. I had also read that Aspen continue to grow throughout winter, and I can assume would have need for light all year round, which makes me hesitant to bring it inside and put it in a cold cellar for the winter. I think these are my options;

1. Leave it outside where it can get proper light, but risk killing it from the cold.
2. Bring it inside where it will be away from the cold and risk killing it due to lack of light.

( cold cellar is cool at 15degrees but may not be cold enough, as well I can build a cold box outside to keep the frost out)

Thanks so much for all of your help in advance!

 

[sorce]

I wouldn't hold my breath!

Welcome to Crazy!

Isn't Aspen one of the largest living things on the planet?

The questions then....

Would something so successful need to keep alive but a small chunk?

And.

Being so successful, will it live?

Sorce

 

[Neopan]

Would something so successful need to keep alive but a small chunk?

And.

Being so successful, will it live?

Lol thanks for the welcome Sorce

I think I am dealing with a fairly small chunk here and whether it will live is really the question of hour

Philosophy aside, any advice? I can agree these guys are probably pretty hardy in good conditions, unfortunately I think I'm short on good conditions lol

 

[sorce]

any advice?

Sweep them leaves!

Sorce

 

[Forsoothe!]

Almost bulletproof, leave it outside. Sink the pot is better for this winter only. You usually have good snow cover which is one of the best mulches in deep cold periods.

 

[Potawatomi13]

Honestly: Aspen cold weather trees BUT.....recent repot, incomplete recovery would highly recommend protection from hard freezing in attempt to assure survival. Perhaps light frost OK; maybe. But no more.

 

[Neopan]

Honestly: Aspen cold weather trees BUT.....recent repot, incomplete recovery would highly recommend protection from hard freezing in attempt to assure survival. Perhaps light frost OK; maybe. But no more.

This was my thought as well, all of my other tree's/ seedlings live outside all year; but this one is already pretty fragile. Anyone have any idea on the light requirements? or will it die from lack of light if it bring it indoors for the winter? ( I'd be putting it in a cold cellar)

Thanks!!

 

[Neopan]

Almost bulletproof, leave it outside. Sink the pot is better for this winter only. You usually have good snow cover which is one of the best mulches in deep cold periods.

Thanks Forsoothe! If I wind up leaving it out; I have some thick insulation that I'm planning on building a box from, should keep most of the frost out.

 

[Flowerhouse]

Nice little aspen with healthy looking recent growth! I suggest garage for this winter, outdoors for future winters. It has just been separated from the parent tree which was providing a lot of support, needs to grow roots of its own. Concerning light, aspens can be found on north facing slopes, in depressions, and a little guy like this might be under a pile of snow all winter. It would get some light, sure, but not much. I would also treat with a general fungicide, spray now, spray again when buds start to swell. Your little tree has survived a lot of abuse, looks like it has compartmentalized some dieback (that stub with black bark). It did all that with support from parent tree.

 

[Forsoothe!]

It will be better off under a blanket of snow than in a dry garage, or under any cover, both of which will require watering several times over winter. Remember, the humidity in winter is often in the low 30's% down to 20% and lower and that makes evaporation is much higher.

 

[Tieball]

Your tree has character! I like that. It has a ….look at me…. attitude. Mighty fine!

If it was my tree. I would dig a hole in the ground and bury the pot, or whatever contain it is in, totally surrounded by soil. For trees I’ve treated this way, I bury the container and have a layer of sand, plain beach-like sand, cover the top of the soil of the container. I then place a wind block up about four foot high (because that’s the height of my wind lock fabric) surrounding the tree. Inside the protected area it can be warmer. On a winter day you can put your hand inside an immediately detect a warmer area….cold (it’s winter after all), but a bit warmer than outside the fabric wall. The top is left open. I want all the snow I can accumulate to fall inside. Ha!…I’ve even gone out and simulated snowfall with handfuls of new snow to gently cover the tree In early winter. After awhile I do nothing.

The windshield fabric I use is simply a plastic-like woven fabric using for crowd control at some events. I have several rolls leftover from a golf tournament. I would guess it is about the equivalent of a 95% sun block. It breathes well. But stops the wind. Lasts for many, many years, outdoors all year….all weather.

I have taken some trees directly out of a container and put them right in the ground so nature takes care of needed root moisture and temperature. However, I still wind block the trees.

After doing the above, I don’t touch or attend to the tree until late March after the break of winter. I don't bring outdoor trees indoors.

 

[Neopan]

Concerning light, aspens can be found on north facing slopes, in depressions, and a little guy like this might be under a pile of snow all winter.

Thanks Flowerhouse; and yes that's exactly where I found it I am learning about Aspen, and their parent trees now, it was interesting though I didn't see any other Aspen around or at least not close by. Maybe it is true their roots can travel long distances before shooting up newbies elsewhere. Good advice on the fungicide; I've had a bit of trouble with that in the past, that backyard doesn't get excellent light. I'll be sure to spray it

 

[Neopan]

If it was my tree. I would dig a hole in the ground and bury the pot, or whatever contain it is

Thanks for the response Tieball! I agree it definitely has some history behind it, I had spotted it from a distance. I wish I could follow your advice, unfortunately that view is from the basement apartment I am renting lol. I don't really have access to the backyard and he already doesn't appreciate me filling his stairwell, backyard, and garage with trees and pots haha. But when you find a tree that looks like that.. well let's just say it's easier to ask forgiveness than permission

In regards to the wind block; it's a small downtown backyard; fully fenced it so hopefully the wind won't be too severe. I was more concerned about it's lack of roots and the five month long -15C winters Toronto sometimes gets that may kill the already fragile roots. I know someone with business that insulates condo garden beds; and they have some heavy duty foam I'll likely use to box her in, so I think I can make this option work.

From what I can gather it seems the resounding opinion is to leave it outdoors as oppose to bring it indoors ( this does scare me a bit lol) but I think I can make that option work. Any terrible outcomes from keeping it in a cold cellar?

Thanks so much as well everyone for the wonderful advice, it is very much welcome! If this is a success I will post some victory pictures in the Spring

 

[Tieball]

I wish that you had a friend locally with a backyard. I’m sure a good friend would let immerse the tree in their landscape somewhere protected.

 

[berzerkules]

I wish that you had a friend locally with a backyard. I’m sure a good friend would let immerse the tree in their landscape somewhere protected.

I've had a couple friends and family members offer me garden space in exchange for trees.

One guy I know has always wanted larch on his property. I'll take him collecting come spring and I can grow out whatever trees I want in the ground at his place. Seems like a good deal to me, I get a collecting buddy and a place to grow trees out and he gets the trees he wants and help caring for them.

 

[Potawatomi13]

Is there local Bonsai club with member having such storage option?

 

[Neopan]

Is there local Bonsai club with member having such storage option?

I've been meaning to reach out to Toronto Bonsai; I know there is a good community there, but covid has put a damper on the clubs activities.. It is definitely on my list and fingers crossed for the spring. Did I see that they had a Forum-within-a-forum here at one point?

 

[Neopan]

I wish that you had a friend locally with a backyard. I’m sure a good friend would let immerse the tree in their landscape somewhere protected.

I have a brother not too far away actually, not sure if he would let me; but it may be worth a shot! I was doing some research on frost lines in different regions; and it looks like the frost line is between 3-5 feet deep here in Ontario, if If I went this route would that mean I would need to bury it below this level? Thanks for your post and response!!

Not su

 

[Tieball]

I have a brother not too far away actually, not sure if he would let me; but it may be worth a shot! I was doing some research on frost lines in different regions; and it looks like the frost line is between 3-5 feet deep here in Ontario, if If I went this route would that mean I would need to bury it below this level? Thanks for your post and response!!

Not su

My frost line is low like that also. However, I only bury to the depth of the container, or slightly below. I have a lot of sand, think like beach sand…..no clay. I’m not sure of the typical soil in your area. I have all sorts of plants, trees and bushes all around me with shallow root systems. Earth must protect them somehow.

 

[Potawatomi13]

protection from hard freezing in attempt to assure survival. Perhaps light frost OK; maybe. But no more.

Must repeat above. Frost/freeze line below 1-2" too far as personally concerned. Otherwise consider tree dead.